Soaring, Tumbling, Freewheeling [Part 1]
Title: Soaring, Tumbling, Freewheeling
Pairings: BaekYeol, KaiSuho
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 11664
Warnings: Inconsistent time, places, and figures. Excessive fourth-wall breaking.
Genre: Romance, fluff, crack
Summary: Classic scenes on flying carpet. Except Baekhyun is not your average Aladdin and Chanyeol is not purely Jasmine, either.
A/N: First EXO fic ever. A late birthday present for changmindear. Nevertheless, happy birthday! Sorry again for this big chunk of failed witty fluff >_<
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Soaring, Tumbling, Freewheeling
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Once upon a time, when Seoul exchanges settings with Baghdad and somehow is led by a Sultan, there lives a young boy named Byun Baekhyun.
Baekhyun is the only son to a couple of modest vendors, who sell little knickknacks in a market just outside the city border. Everyday, he helps his parents shouting out this and that product, gathering crowds who are more interested in the young boy than the whatnots they sell. He is especially chirpy in the morning, with twinkling eyes and sweet sweet smile, charming middle-aged ladies and young girls alike into buying things they do not exactly need.
It’s always an advantage to have a good-looking son. Bless the genes.
In the span of his twenty years of living, Baekhyun never received formal education because his parents are too poor and the school is too distant. That, however, does not deter him from reading a lot of books and interacting with a lot of people. At 20, Baekhyun is bright-minded and knows more about life than most boys his age.
“We need not be academic scholars,” is his infamous wise words, quoted by eighty percent of school-age population in his hometown and make him the most favorite hyung in the area. “What we need to survive are social tact and economic intelligence.”
His small family lives in a relatively peaceful household close to the market they’re working in. Concluded, their humble home is located quite far away from the buzz of city center. He often tells himself that the city is not that interesting. In his mind, citizens are bustling hens who do not care about other people’s business. He already leads a pretty life on the outskirt of Seoul. Why would he want to go to that hectic place?
Nah.
Despite the negative presentiments, Baekhyun does sometimes wonder what the city center may have in store.
“What kind of talk are the citizens engaged in?” He asks his childhood friends one day. Those said friends, namely Sehun and Kyungsoo, only shake their heads in unison. Being mere villagers they are, the city sounds almost as far away as a dream. Which, given their social status, means bolded underlined italicized far. Are poor people even allowed to dream?
“What stuff do they sell in the market? What books do they have in the library? What does the Royal Palace look like? Is the princess beautiful?” Everyday, Baekhyun never ceases to ask these questions, even if only in his head. He is an imaginative youngster and he can imagine a lot. Curiosity kills the cat, alright. Whilst he’s not feline, he would like to occasionally go outside the comfort zone.
This particular day, Baekhyun feels exceptionally adventurous and finally decides to explore the place he maintains love-hate relationship with. After obtaining much-needed permission from both parents (“Son, you do know your absence equals dramatic drop in sales.”) and counting every penny of his savings, the young lad sets off very early in the morning. The sun is delightfully warm on his back as he travels on foot, opting not to waste money on renting horse.
There are three locations in the heart of the city that he is dying to visit. After gauging cost-benefit efficiencies and including social status into the equation, he concluded that two out of three-the Dongdaemun Market and the City Library-are feasible enough of an option. The third, though, the Royal Palace, is a place he should not have considered in the first place.
On the trip to his first destination, the young villager is already captured with practically everything. Embroidered kaftans! Steaming buns! A thing or another attracts his attention once every ten steps. People are side-eyeing him in amusement, figuring out right away that he comes from a remote place. Baekhyun would indeed have a hard time defending his grown-up man’s pride, what with bouncing down the street and squealing at the slightest sight cotton candies.
Not that he’s proud of himself, okay. In fact, he’s thankful to have declined Kyungsoo’s and Sehun’s offer (more like desperate whines) of companionship. At least, no one has the potential to spread about his less-than-attractive action to the gossiping neighbors.
Byun Baekhyun, after all, has a reputation as the most sought single in the village.
Stepping inside the Dongdaemun market, Baekhyun promptly puts down the ‘hot and available’ trophy in interests of downright gaping. The Dongdaemun market seems to sell everything!
“At this rate I’m having the faith that they sell unicorns. And fairy dusts,” Baekhyun wonders faintly where he read anything that fantastical but he couldn’t care about it now. He’s busy trying with all his might to keep his hands controlled. It wouldn’t be wise to flail around and knock off everything within reach. The items all have price tags.
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Baekhyun’s earnest attempt not to get into trouble goes fruitless, however, when someone out of nowhere is running full speed in his direction. Baekhyun, who is at the moment scrutinizing a row of wigs with undivided concentration, predictably doesn’t predict the predicament and receives the impact without proper preparation.
BAM.
“Ouch,” he groans out, mourning the future of his backbone that has greeted the hard tarmac ground with admirable intimacy. Turning his head to glare at the rude person who has knocked him down, he is met instead with a pair of widest, cutest eyes he’s ever seen within two decades of his young life. Within very very close proximity.
Those lips are the plumpest he has seen in a while, too.
“Sorry!” the intruder says hastily, getting up from the compromising position that would surely gather interested viewers in a few seconds.
“OUCH!”
“I’M SORRY!”
Unfortunately, however, the said intruder happens to step on Baekhyun’s shinbone in his hurry.
The commotion goes on as Baekhyun tries to stand up with more than slight difficulty, backbone and tibia having a conspiracy on refusing to support his posture. The cause of this whole mess, sporting a painfully honest apology on his visage, offers a hand to Baekhyun who takes it gingerly. He has to be careful; the stranger doesn’t seem to have awesome coordination in his motion.
“THERE HE IS!”
Another voice shouts out from behind them and with only an almost inaudible “Uh-oh” as his warning, Baekhyun finds himself running by the stranger’s tail, dragged by the wrist and having no independence to ensure his own safety. They skid and round from corner to corner, bumping and evading innocent purchasers who are unlucky to stand in their way.
“HEY!”
“I’m sorry!”
“Watch where you’re running, young men!”
After causing a bin of dead fish and more than a few bundles of spinach to litter on the path between opposing stalls, they finally settle on an invisible crevice, the stranger’s palm effectively muffling Baekhyun’s mouth.
“Where is he? I’m sure he was running this way just a while ago…”
“He is with another guy!”
“What is he wearing again?”
“Blue tunic and white turban! But don’t let him fool you; he might take the turban off while we aren’t looking…”
A troop of scarily well-built men pass by their hiding place. Baekhyun feels his oxygen supply diminishes in alarming rate, given the stranger’s hand is still cutting off the only passage to his lungs.
“Mmpfh… mmph…!”
“Oh, I’m really sorry!” the stranger squeaks in whisper, finally realizing that he is this close to murdering a human being. Baekhyun gulps a greedy amount of air to celebrate.
“Who the hell,” he asks in between intakes of breath. “are you exactly running from? Are they debt collectors? Did you just buy something without paying?”
“Well…” the intruder grins sheepishly and now that Baekhyun could examine him closer without worrying for his life, the stranger’s got really awesome teeth. Healthy, white, and screaming wealthy care.
Which shouldn’t be his concern at the moment, thank you.
“It’s hard to explain in short, but…” the stranger fidgets, shifting his weight from one foot to another. His hair, which is unruly in the most fashionable style, is peeking from under a white turban. “How are your legs faring?”
“They’ve seen better days,” Baekhyun says sourly, dull sore creeping up from one point on his left leg. “Don’t try to change the subject. Who are you and why are those guys after you?”
“Uh, uhm…” Before the guy could answer, however, another shout is booming from somewhere eerily near.
“There’s someone in that corner!” the gritty voice announces. “Two! Go arrest them, one of them may be him!”
“Great God…” is again the only warning before Baekhyun finds himself engulfed within a loop of arms, cheek resting on surprisingly broad shoulders. From this close he finally fathoms the difference between their heights, the pleasant smell of jasmine wafting from the body around him, the flow of long hair falling on his face.
Wait, what?
The last time he checked the stranger is a guy with relatively short hair. Next time he knows their position is reversed, the said guy’s back is facing the entryway of their dark crevice, effectively obscuring his face should the pursuers come too close. The turban has been discarded behind a pile of trash-it looks expensive, what a pity. The stranger seems to have grabbed a hold on one of those wigs Baekhyun was inspecting before the whole ruckus.
Before Baekhyun could point out that taking the wig without paying is a form of crime, he is effectively shut up by a pair of luscious mouth on his own.
What. The. Freaking. Hell.
That was his first kiss.
“Freeze! We found you, Your-” A voice roars behind the stranger’s back, followed by an abashed “Oh God! We’re sorry for disturbing!”
The chaser miraculously backs off from the intimate scene, grunting a “misplaced affair” to his fellows who arrive by their hiding place. Baekhyun couldn’t think pass the pliant pressure on his own lips, only vaguely recognizing that the sound of footsteps grows farther and farther until it disappears.
Safe? For now.
Slowly and more than a little awkwardly, they finally peel away from each other. Baekhyun once again examines the stranger guy, whose smooth cheeks are now dotted with adorable twin blushes. They are not too far apart in terms of age, it seems, though he cannot say the same in height department. Beneath the curtain of silly long fake locks, Baekhyun finds apologetic expression that seems to permanently adorn the youthful, boyish face.
“I can’t say properly how remorseful I feel for hurting you and using you like this,” the stranger bows. Baekhyun notices that his voice is too deep for a face so cute. That sentence could have a really different meaning, too. So many discoveries in one day.
“I…” Baekhyun clears his throat, not finding the right words for a reply. What the hell were you doing stealing my first kiss? I hope we will never bump to each other again in the future, literally and figuratively? All of them sound false especially when he’s quite sure he wouldn’t mind seeing the other guy again-though maybe in a more peaceful circumstance. “… am Byun Baekhyun.”
“My name is Chanyeol,” the other guy lets out a relieved laugh at the unspoken peace offering. Baekhyun’s eyebrow rise when an unexpected twitch takes over half of Chanyeol’s face when he smiles. “Those guys are my guardians and I’m not running from mounting debt. Don’t worry.”
The eyebrow goes higher at the words. “Why ever do you have a throng of guardians running after you?”
“Like I said, it’s complicated,” Chanyeol makes a funny face. “I have to take responsibility for your injuries. Let’s take a stroll together?”
The smile goes wider if that was even possible, followed by a signature twitch. Baekhyun’s heart does a funny flip. Questioning his own sanity, the young villager finds himself nodding. It’s not like anyone can refuse a smile like that, is it?
Together, they warily creep out of the dark creak, slipping outside the market while trying not to attract unneeded attention. Their physiques do not exactly help, not to mention Chanyeol has a gentle grip on Baekhyun’s elbow along the walk-but at least this time there are no spinach and dead fish flying behind their backs.
After successfully making it outside the market without inflicting any more self damage, they take to the direction of City Library. Baekhyun wants to remind Chanyeol that he still has the wig on before figuring that perhaps the taller boy keeps it on purpose. He is still on a fleeing mission, after all.
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“Whoa, look at that!”
For a runaway standard, Chanyeol apparently isn’t trying hard enough to be inconspicuous. Despite his wealthy look, if the silk clothes and turban are anything to go by, he practically squeals at everything he sees as if seeing them for the first time. At the current moment, it is a stray puppy that catches his attention.
Before having the chance to voice his protest, Baekhyun resigns himself to be dragged around by an overly excited twenty-something man. Despite his promise to take responsibility, Chanyeol seems to aggravate the leg soreness instead. If he didn’t know better, he would think Chanyeol comes from a village remoter than his own. How is it that he never sees a stray puppy? Or a lady selling kimbap?
Not that Baekhyun is doing marvelous job in being subtle, but whilst he’s amazed by the grandeur downtown Seoul offers, Chanyeol is paradoxically more mesmerized by suburban trivial things.
“Wait!” Chanyeol pulls a mighty pout, trying to chase the puppy when it runs away. Before he can do it, the puppy has disappeared into an alley.
“I’m sure, if you come to my hometown you will die from overexcitement,” Baekhyun deadpans, though unable to erase the amusement dripping in his voice. The pout is beyond what’s considered as healthy dose of cuteness. “There are a horde of homeless puppies back there.”
“Eh? You are not a residence here?” the taller guy asks instead, halting on his steps.
“Nope,” Baekhyun says, wondering how Chanyeol doesn’t notice something that obvious. “In fact, this is the first time I ever come to the city. My parents allowed me to go because it’s my birthday…”
“WOW, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Unexpectedly, Chanyeol glomps at him. For the life of one hundred and eighty five centimeters’ worth of mass, Baekhyun promptly staggers at his place.
“… the day after tomorrow,” the shorter man manages to finish under the deadly squish he finds himself in.
A round ‘O’ graces Chanyeol’s lips as he releases the hug. And no, mind you, Baekhyun is not disappointed. “I’d like to show you around, but…”
“But your knowledge about the city isn’t much better,” Baekhyun continues with a nod.
“Kinda obvious, isn’t it?” Chanyeol’s face breaks into a bashful grin and Baekhyun can’t help but notice those pearly teeth again.
“Let’s just explore together!” the taller boy exclaims happily, tightening his grip on Baekhyun’s arm. The older boy likes to think that Chanyeol is just making sure his injured legs wouldn’t fail on him. Still, he warms up at the gesture.
Too afraid that his voice would crack in sudden onslaught of nervousness, Baekhyun wisely decides to keep his mouth shut and lets Chanyeol do all the dragging. Apparently the taller man is still determined to track down the puppy.
“Hey,” they come to a stop when Chanyeol’s face turns serious, finger pointing at an alley between a bun store and a tailor shop. “What is that kid doing there?”
Baekhyun squints to make out a figure in the dark. It is a small child, eight years old at the most, curling up against the wall clutching his belly. The puppy is sitting by his side, licking carefully at the child’s dirty skin. They seem to be friends.
“Most probably a beggar, perhaps an orphan too,” answers Baekhyun. His heart goes out for the young kid. He looks entirely too thin.
“Where are his parents?”
Baekhyun raises his eyebrow again at Chanyeol’s confused tone. A few hours into walking side by side, he is ultimately stunned by how little the taller man knows about everyday life.
“Orphans don’t have parents,” Baekhyun says carefully. “If they’re lucky enough, a relative would take care of them. But not every child is that lucky. Most of them end up in the street, eating leftovers from the trash cans and begging passersby to have pity on them,” he sighs. “There are too many people of that kind. It seems that the royalties are too caught up in their golden palace to notice.”
Their breaths hitch as Baekhyun mentally face-palms at his slip-up. At that time, democracy is not something to be flaunted in public. Speaking up anything bad about the Sultan equals once-in-a-lifetime experience in the authorities’ courtyard. The said lifetime, naturally, faces its finale under the guillotine.
“I-I mean…”
“You mean the truth,” Chanyeol says solemnly, putting a finger on Baekhyun’s lips before the shorter man can splutter out excuse. Whilst Baekhyun doesn’t know Chanyeol’s social status, he can figure out already that the taller man is not an average person. Which average citizen has a dozen of guardians shadowing behind his back? Nah. He can only pray the taller man is not too closely related to the Sultan.
Engaged in an impromptu staring contest, Baekhyun gauges the possibility of Chanyeol reporting his blunder to the authorities and concludes it may as well be near zero. With a big sigh, his lips form a smile underneath the gentle pressure of Chanyeol’s slender finger.
“Yeah, maybe I do,” he says, feeling more than seeing the taller man’s subtle reaction at his lip movement. Much to his inner turmoil, the finger retreats. “We need to help the child.”
“And the puppy,” Chanyeol’s visage brightens at the idea. “They both must be hungry.”
For the life of economic intelligence and social tact Baekhyun is proud of, all of those seem to fly away at the sight of Chanyeol’s smile. They are about to proceed to the bun store when Baekhyun’s legs suddenly collapse under him.
“Hey, careful!”
Baekhyun grimaces as Chanyeol relieves his nose from unwanted reunion with the tarmac. A grim inspection reveals that his left leg has sported a considerably swelling blue spot.
“Oh my, I’m sorry again!” Of course, apology does not make it any better, but at least Baekhyun appreciates the honest concern swimming in Chanyeol’s eyes. If the pain does subside a little, maybe it’s his nervous system playing beneficial trick on him. “I’ll just grab the buns and perhaps get some first aid kit. You just wait here, okay?”
“Uh…” Baekhyun isn’t sure if it is indeed okay, since Chanyeol has shown to be unconvincing in dealing with buying stuff. The unpaid wig is still perched on his head.
“Or do you want me to carry you?”
Baekhyun’s jaw officially unhinges at the unexpected suggestion which, he notes with a mental groan, is offered with painfully innocent good will. Why he makes no disagreement, though, he blames it on the swell on his legs. And no, certainly not the determined puppy look Chanyeol is sending in his direction.
“You don’t have to, really,” Baekhyun says into the fold of silk clothing. It’s silly to mention it when he has been propped up against the taller boy’s back, but still.
“Don’t worry,” Chanyeol replies genuinely. Baekhyun can picture a bright smile that accompanies those words, adorning a childish face so unmatched with the deep voice. “Didn’t I say I have to take responsibility? Besides, I enjoy this day so much. Just like you, this is also the first time I wander around the city by myself. Though I’m not proud of myself for causing your injury,” the taller man pauses, shifting the weight on his back as he resumes the steps. “I’m very happy to find a companion like Baekhyun-sshi.”
The sun is radiating without mercy, really. There’s no alternate explanation for the sudden burning on his cheeks.
As they arrive at the bun store, Baekhyun obtains another proof to add to his Why-Chanyeol-is-Not-Made-for-Such-Deal list.
“Young man, you have to pay before munching on my buns.”
Chanyeol, who has hugged the buns safely and turned around to the orphan child’s direction, blinks innocently. “Why do I have to?”
The seller lady looks appropriately mystified. “Why in the world do you think you don’t have to?”
“I never had to pay for anything before,” Chanyeol says with a pout. Baekhyun sighs onto his nape.
“You do have to pay. That’s called ‘buying’. When you don’t, that’s called ‘stealing’,” Baekhyun doesn’t see the reason why he has to explain this to a twenty-year-old. “Are you sure you weren’t chased for committing such act earlier at the market?”
“Nooooo~!” Chanyeol shakes his head, tone whiny as his fake long hair sways left and right.
“I have money in my pouch,” Baekhyun helpfully informs, mentally trying not to regret this particular visit to the city. There goes his prideful economic efficiency and social tact, all thanks to an oblivious person who can’t differentiate stealing from buying. “Give it to the lady.”
“No! I can’t believe this. There is a child outside your store who looks like he last ate a week ago. How can you let him see you bake these foods without properly feeding him at least once?” Chanyeol asks stubbornly.
The seller lady is obviously ticked off. “If that’s the way business works, young man, I may end up having the same fate as that child in less than a week.”
If his arms aren’t busy winding around the taller man’s neck, Baekhyun would gladly utilize them to slap his own forehead. Or better, slap some common sense into Chanyeol’s thick head.
“She’s right, Chanyeollie,” Baekhyun says exasperatedly before freezing on the spot. Chanyeollie? Where does that come from? He promptly kicks himself for another spectacular failure.
Judging from the sudden stiffness of the taller man’s back, Baekhyun knows he isn’t the only one affected.
The lady clears her throat. “I appreciate your altruistic thinking pattern, young man, but unless you’re some almighty descendant of the Sultan or something, I’m reporting you in charge of stealing.”
“No need.” Before any of them could make a move, a middle-aged man already hands a stack of bill to the seller lady. A few seconds too late, they realize who he is.
A grim smile greets them before the man bows deeply. “Good afternoon, Your Highness. We are glad to have finally found you.”
Silence. “Y-Y-Your Highness?” The lady stutters. Baekhyun would have, too, if only he isn’t pried away from Chanyeol’s back by ungodly force that takes no notice of his injury.
“Hey!” Baekhyun struggles as he is man-handled by a pair of guardians. Lady Fate just seems to pick this day to declare her dislike towards his existence.
“HEY!” Chanyeol mirrors his cry but cannot do much either; another pair of guardians have also taken a hold on arms-though unfairly much gentler.
“It’s time to go home, Your Highness.”
“Don’t hurt him!” is Chanyeol’s final cry before he is shoved (gently, of course) into a waiting palanquin and is carried away.
Which leaves Baekhyun alone to his misery.
“And you, young man, are arrested for attempting to kidnap the Prince.”
Dear Lady Fate, why?
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---oOo---
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In the shadier part of the country, there lives a wizard by the name of Kai.
He is rumored to be the grandson of the cousin of the stepsister of the legendary Jafar who somehow got the mix between Middle-Eastern and East-Asian genes. Anyway, Kai has admirable sharp eyes and impressive bone structure that can be considered a spectacular improvement in Jafar’s breeding history.
Unlike his predecessor, however, Kai does not lead a life being the grand advisor of the Sultan. Instead, he decides to live on his own, enhancing both magical and physical power through sweat-drenching exercises across the continent and beyond. After coming back to Seoul, Kai already gains power far too mighty for someone his age.
He is still restless, however, because of a testament that the stepbrother of the cousin of his grandmother wrote in his autobiography: “Mighty Jafar and the Genie: Unveiling the Unspeakable Affair”.
In the span of his wonderfully young life, Kai is known to be an ambitious and visionary wizard. However, it is said that a Middle-Eastern wizard cannot achieve his full potential without the help of another species called genies. The help isn’t just a usual help. They have to bond themselves in a bond stronger than life. Which is, of course, love.
Granted, Kai is aggravated by this news. He has studied in the most respectable wizard school in Asia, expanding his curriculum vitae by registering into exchange student programs in both Hogwarts and Durmstrang (that are so far away in Europe, mind you. And expensive). Why couldn’t he attain full potential on his own? It’s terribly unfair, especially when he’s only got approximately one-sixteenth of Jafar’s blood and that isn’t a lot. Not enough to make him go through the troubles on his own will, anyway.
There is still another reason why he is reluctant to get involved with the genies, a reason he will not admit even if you lock him in a room with a naked Voldemort. From what the stepbrother of the cousin of his grandmother painted himself in the century-old autobiography, the genies do not look very attractive. Whilst Jafar is never known for his talent in artistry, for someone who has acquainted himself with girls of Veela class, this is terribly turning off.
A gaseous blue creature with questionable gender? Hell no.
But Kai still holds his idealistic dream of becoming the best of himself. That sends him into perpetual cycle of researching and reviewing literatures. There must be a note in history about a genie with approvable appearance, isn’t there? After endless searching that takes up most of his precious youth, he finally finds it in one of the references Jafar mentioned in his ‘Thanks To’.
“… the descendants of Kim, the highest-ranked aristocrats of genie blood, are known to have extraordinary appearance comparable to South Korea’s ancient beauties Hwang Jini and Dae Janggeum. To date they are still known to be residing in their original residence, the outskirt of fortress city on the Han River. The earliest Kim genies were subjects to the royalties of Joseon before the Kingdom was taken down by invasion from Middle-East. The royalties were believed to have buried their genie lamps in the caves close the river banks. It is not known if the lamps have transferred hands but there is a popular prophecy that the genies are destined to unite with individuals of wizard and witch population…”
That’s it. THIS IS IT. Kai punches the air in celebration of this golden opportunity. The scholar in him already identifies the mysterious fortress city as Seoul, also searching enough about Hwang Jini and Dae Janggeum to know that he is striving for a brilliant future. They are comparable to Veela of East Asian race. Kim is also his surname. Isn’t it what they call destiny?
Now it’s time to plan carefully. Skipping from his seat to another side of the room, Kai stops upon a mirror on a corner of his private library. The mirror looks ordinary but of course it’s not. What is ordinary in a wizard’s house?
The young wizard clears his throat, inwardly admiring the sexy roughness of his own timbre. With passionate gaze towards the clear surface, he exclaims proudly,
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the sexiest of them all?”
After some eerie seconds, the reflecting glass morphed into murky waves before settling back to its previous stillness. On the mirror, a face so similar to Kai’s stares back at him.
“Mighty Kai of the wizard race, Kim Jongin is the sexiest of them all.”
“Good boy, good boy,” Kai bobs his head in satisfaction. Apparently, the question and its matching answer are the password to switch on his personal magical consultant-slash-fortune teller. He bought this mirror on a holiday visit to Diagon Alley and has been turning to it for advices ever since.
The mirror, sporting a similar face that could be easily mistaken as Kai’s own reflection, asks politely. “What is it that mighty Kai would want to ask?”
“Well, Taeminnie,” Kai muses thoughtfully, calling the mirror by its affectionate pet name. “I want to acquaint myself with a genie of Kim race. What’s the best way to accomplish this task?”
“My lord Kai of the wizard race,” Taemin speaks solemnly, voice echoing from wall to wall for additional effect. “The Kim genies reside on the outskirt of Seoul, in a cave under rocky mountain just a few miles away from the Han River. My insight, however, says that the best way to get them is not by using Lord Kai’s own hands, instead using another person’s effort for my Mighty Kai’s benefits.”
“Well said,” Kai nods thoughtfully. He always likes it when people speak in intelligent words, plus point if the said people hail him in the process. “Who is the person destined to get the genie for me?”
“That person…” Taemin answers. “…is an average boy living nearby the aforementioned place. His name is Byun Baekhyun. He will soon get entangled in a big problem that sends him into the authority’s confinement. Lord Kai can meet him there, two days from now at midnight, second window from the south gate.”
“Okay,” Kai smirks. Jaws set in determination, Kai switches off the mirror with a series of chant (“Careless careless, shoot anonymous anonymous…”) and gets ready for some beauty sleep. Before getting to the serious business, people.
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---oOo---
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Baekhyun muses, while being stuck in his dusty prison, that perhaps his parents do not sincerely bless his visit to the city. Otherwise, such things wouldn’t have happened to him, right? He just wanted to see the city market and library, for God’s sake! Which part of that intention passes as A-list crime?
Okay, he had this secret desire to visit the Royal Palace as well, but the palace! Not the jail!
Then again, he knows that being kidnapped by a poor villager in exchange for wealth is a much more politically pleasant explanation for the Prince’s disappearance, in comparison to the said prince cleverly broke free from his guardians on his own will and decided to take a leisure stroll with the said poor villager. Wearing female wig and all that.
Either way, he is doomed.
The dark brooding lasts another three hours before he drowsily falls into a fitful sleep. Even then, Lady Fate still decides she’d like to torture him some more when a series of knocking meets his window. Groaning, Baekhyun sits up and rubs his eyes.
Wait, window?
He’s been expecting a watchman to inform him about the judgment or even quick execution. But if that were the case, the watchman would speak to him through the bars, right?
Curiosity peaking, Baekhyun gingerly plasters his nose on the hazy glass. It is dark out there, reminding him that night has fallen. Guess the eventful day has taken its toll on our poor hero more than he would like to admit. He even has this wistful imagination of Chanyeol playing a Prince Charming role and coming to rescue him from the confinement. It is a futile wish, however, given that Chanyeol cannot even go around the city freely. There’s no way anyone would let him wander around the jail.
Instead of a Prince Charming, another young man he cannot recognize greets him. The stranger wears a black cape with hoodies that obscures the most of his body, leaving only a face with gleaming eyes that shine in the shadow.
Naturally, Baekhyun freaks out and steps back all the way to the opposing wall.
“WHA-“
“Sssshh,” he sees the stranger’s shushing fogging up the window. A finger motions him to come close.
When Baekhyun doesn’t move-he may be desperate but he isn’t into blind trust, the man in black writes on the glass, taking advantage of its dusty state.
‘I can let you free.’
Which sounds kinda cliché.
As if annoyed by Baekhyun’s apprehension, the stranger goes straight to proving his ability by simply nudges the window open with a seemingly innocent twig. Eyes widening, Baekhyun scampers to the tiny escape.
“Who are you? Are you one of the watchmen who are ordered to trap me into committing another mistake, so that you can bestow me death penalty for doing something bigger than being piggybacked by the Prince?” He asks in an intake of breath.
“… That’s a thorough analysis,” the young man, Baekhyun observes, possesses deep and slightly rough voice. “Don’t be so sarcastic. I’m here to offer you a transaction.”
“… Transaction?”
“Of course, people help each other in mutual symbiosis. Would you believe if I said I’m altruistically offering free service?”
That makes sense. “Well,” Baekhyun says carefully. “What is it? As long as it doesn’t involve sacrificing somebody’s soul, I’m in.”
The man in black raises his perfectly-shaped eyebrow. “Your condition is kinda easy.”
“Also, as long as it doesn’t involve carrying out crimes that will eventually send me back into the line for guillotine. That’s counterproductive, I tell you.”
“Well said,” the stranger bobs his head in agreement. “There is a favor I want to ask of you. Listen out and decide for yourself if you’re in or not.”
As the man drones on about the said favor, Baekhyun’s eyes go progressively wider and wider.
“So, are you in?”
.
.
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---oOo---
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In his two decades of living, Baekhyun admits that he does not challenge himself nearly as often as a real man should do.
As was told before, he leads a pretty ordinary life, helping out his parents and reading books to fill in knowledge he never gets from school. All of them combined, though, are not enough to prepare him for what he’s about to do.
Which involves shoveling his way into a deserted cave at abandoned area he never even knew exist behind his neighborhood.
I am screwed, he tells himself, holding up a torch as he gruesomely throws some more soil out of the way. If the strange man in black-Kai, as the man introduced himself-didn’t showcase his ability by locking and unlocking the window with just a touch of his wand, Baekhyun would rather eat the soil than shoveling through it.
If the rocky mountain collapses thanks to a certain vile Lady Fate, no one will even know he is there.
Baekhyun begins to regret not informing his parents about his homecoming.
After trudging through the mounts of rocks and soil, Baekhyun’s spade meets something hard that gleams in the darkness. He silently cheers but decides against voicing out his glee. The problem with jinx.
Of course, the item in question turns out to be a lamp. More specifically, a genie lamp. It’s shiny, as if someone has constantly rubbed on it for the past several years, which is creepy because no one knows about its legendary existence until Kai has outdone himself with the thorough research. Anyway, Baekhyun can’t help but grinning in victory. All he has to do is turning in the lamp to Kai. After that, the wizard promised to erase the royal watchmen’s and guardians’ memories of Byun Baekhyun.
What a cool power. He wonders why Kai does not just wave his wand and call the genie lamp to his open palms. It’s certainly more efficient than having a mere mortal like him retrieve the lamp via a highly risky, conventional method.
(Unknown to Baekhyun, Kai also asked Taemin the same thing, but the mirror just smiled secretively in response.)
A genie lamp. The young lad never believed in such fairy tale before. But after witnessing for himself the extent of Kai’s power (which, he believes, is more than just locking and unlocking a window), Baekhyun begins to question the reality he’s living in.
Curiosity kills the cat? Sure enough. Curiosity has brought Baekhyun to a bout of unforgettable experiences, one part hell (jail and promising death penalty) and one part heaven (an oblivious prince, stolen first kiss, and lots of flying spinach).
Is it really wrong of him for wanting to rub the lamp? Just once is enough, to prove if the reality he’s living in is actually a lie.
So he rubs. Bravo Byun Baekhyun.
A torrent of aromatic smoke flies sky high from the shiny lamp. Within the next three seconds, Baekhyun confirms that the reality he’s living in is indeed a lie.
The smoke gradually fades out, leaving a creature who’s stretching out his arms as if just waking up from a long long sleep, which isn’t far from truth. Baekhyun watches in speechless fascination as the genie yawns for the last time before opening his-or its?-almond-shaped eyes.
“Ah, my master,” the genie says gracefully. He’s got really nice voice. “Kim Joonmyeon’s at your service.”
“Uh, well…” Baekhyun is not supposed to be this genie’s master. Kai is.
“You can call me Suho. It sounds friendlier. And more pronounceable,” the genie, who turns out to be a complete gentleman, apparently thinks Baekhyun’s failure to say hello is because of his inability to pronounce correctly.
Baekhyun blurts out instead, “Aren’t you supposed to be blue and not-so-good-looking?”
Suho actually pauses to ponder.
“I guess it won’t hurt,” he says thoughtfully. “Our readers are mainly females after all. It’s called fan-service.”
In these two days alone, Baekhyun has enough messing with his brain to last a lifetime. Hopefully a long lifetime.
“We can save the introductions for later and go straight to the wish-granting,” Suho suggests charmingly. “What is your first wish?”
You’re not this genie’s master. Don’t say anything. You’re not supposed to. “My first wish is, I want to die peacefully.”
The genie looks appropriately bewildered. “Excuse me?”
“I mean,” Baekhyun corrects himself. The prospect of both the authorities’ and Kai’s wrath is getting on him. “I wish my life to end when the right time has arrived instead of dying an accelerated death under someone’s knife.”
Suho tilts his head. “Is hung okay?”
“No, not that too.”
“Gunshot?”
“No.”
“So,” the genie concludes with an air of aristocratic scholar. “Your wish is to die in the least painful way possible.”
“When the right time has come,” Baekhyun adds. “I prefer dying from old age, which implies that I wish to survive long enough.”
“That’s quite a… complicated feat.”
Baekhyun blinks. “Am I not supposed to ask that much?”
“Well,” the genie says carefully. “You’re supposed to be the brave-beyond-belief kind of protagonist.”
The young lad pouts slightly. “Safety comes before anything else,” he replies. “Being hero doesn’t mean you are dead-proof. Or guillotine-proof for that matter.”
Suho nods in agreement.
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[Part 2]